Online Hotel bookings still rare

Hotels need to catch up with airlines in selling on the Internet, according to a new report from the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University. Last year, one in 12 hotel bookings were made online, and by 2005 one in five will be, said the report.

But hotel chain Web sites will control only about half of those bookings. The rest will be made by third-party online bookers like Expedia and Travelocity.

But hotel chain Web sites will control only about half of those bookings. The rest will be made by third-party online bookers like Expedia and Travelocity.